Year to date speeding offences eclipse 2019 total
ACT Policing continue to be baffled by the reckless and dangerous speeding behaviour by some Canberra drivers.
Police have already issued more Traffic Infringement Notices (TINs) for speeding in 2020 - 4093 as at 31 October - than in all of 2019 (4056).
This spike in speeding behaviour was the catalyst for ACT Policing’s Who are you rushing to meet? road safety campaign, and the need for this message was reiterated last week following another concerning high range speeding incident.
About 12.50pm on Friday, 6 November 2020, police were conducting traffic duties on Aikman Drive, Belconnen when they detected a silver Holden sedan and a black Holden sedan travelling at 135km/h in a signposted 60km/h zone.
At the time, both vehicles were travelling side by side and appeared to be racing one another.
The drivers, both 17-year-old provisional license holders, allegedly stated they had no reason for speeding or racing when spoken to by police.
Both drivers were issued with infringement notices for exceed speed limit by greater than 45km/h ($1,841 and six demerit points) and take part in race with another vehicle ($474 and three demerit points).
About 3.00pm the same day, police were conducting traffic duties within the school zone on College Street, Bruce, when they identified the same driver of the black Holden sedan travelling at 58km/h within the 40km/h school zone area. The driver was again dealt with by police.
Office in Charge of Road Policing, Detective Inspector Marcus Boorman said stamping out this kind of inexcusable behaviour was at the heart of ACT Policing’s Who are they rushing to meet? campaign.
“I’m baffled that these young drivers thought this kind of reckless behaviour was acceptable in our community,” Detective Inspector Boorman said.
“Street racing is beyond irresponsible, and could have had tragic consequences for these drivers, or even worse, an innocent driver who may have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“The jump we’ve seen in speeding offences this year is extremely concerning for police, and we will continue to actively target speeding, particularly high range speeding, in the community, and we will hold these idiotic drivers to account.
“This is why we’re asking drivers to have a good look at themselves, and consider ‘Who are you rushing to meet?’, because as these drivers learned when you speed, you increase your chances of a meeting with police, or worse – a serious collision.”
Media enquiries
Police Media — (02) 5126 9070, act-police-media@afp.gov.au